National Parks
Venture the Whitsunday Great Walk and experience the region differently. The journey starts at Brandy Creek through the Conway State Forest and finish 30km further away at Kara Crescent, Airlie Beach. So, it will take you more than a day to achieve it. However, you can choose to walk shorter trails. The main highlights of the great walk are the majestic tropical rainforest, seasonal creeks, endemic flora & fauna, and stunning views to the Whitsunday Islands.
Discover different sounds and different scents along the way. This ever-changing rainforest remnant responds to wet and dry extremes. Watch for the electric blue Ulysses butterfly, buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher and listen to the distinctive call of wompoo fruit-dove. The vegetation is quite amazing too. See tulip oaks and Alexandra Palms and up to 20 plant species found only in the Whitsunday region.
The short walks:
- Kingfisher Circuit. 2km return (45mins – 1.5 hours)
- Wompoo Walk. 7km return (3 – 4 hours).
| Where: | From Airlie Beach travel west along Shute Harbour Road for about 10km and turn left onto Brandy Creek Road. Follow this road onto Forestry Road through to the carpark. This is the start of the Whitsunday Great Walk. |
| Open: | The track is closed during the wet season from February to March. Between April and September, conditions are less likely to be very wet or too dry. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 4946 7022 |
Conway National Park includes the rainforest-clad Conway Peninsula and protects the largest area of lowland tropical rainforest in Queensland outside Tropical North Queensland. The mountain of this national park and the Whitsunday Islands were once part of the same coastal mountain range, but rising sea level after the ice age flooded the lower valleys and cut off the coastal peaks from the mainland. That’s why the park’s vegetation is very similar to that on the Whitsunday Islands.
The National Park offers lots of walking tracks from easy to moderate grade. See hoop pines growing on coastal ridges and in damp gullies, emerging above the rainforest canopy. For beautiful views, stop at the Mt Rooper Lookout and the Beak Lookout. Admire the rugged, rocky cliffs cascading into a spectacular view over the Whitsunday Passage and islands.
Conway National Park is home to the endangered Proserpine rock-wallabies. Although they are rarely seen, you can take a chance at the park’s northern end where they live. More easily seen, watch for emerald doves, sulphur-crested cockatoos and Orange-footed scrubfowl and bush-turkeys maintaining their mounds.
In winter, you can take a dip at Coral Beach and Swamp Bay, but caution is needed as these areas are not patrolled by lifesavers. Do not swim from October to May as dangerous marine stingers are present here during these months.
| Where: | Conway National Park lies on the Central Queensland coast, between Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour. From Airlie Beach, follow Shute Harbour Road south-east and travel 2.5km to the QPWS Whitsunday Information Centre. It is a further 4km to the Conway picnic ground. |
Set in a natural rock amphitheatre, the Cedar Creek Falls are spectacular in the wet season. It is a wonderful swimming spot all year-round and the scenery will amaze you. Here you can relax and picnic, surrounded by majestic Alexandra Palms, strangler figs, red and white cedars and wild orchids. You can also enjoy bush walks up and around the falls.
The broad pool, at the base of the falls, varies in depth depending on recent rain levels. So, it’s extremely dangerous to dive or bomb into the water.
| Where: | Turn off the Proserpine to Airlie Beach Road onto Conway Road, 8 km north of Proserpine. It’s about 15 km to the falls – the roads are well posted. |
• Bring enough water to drink;
• Protect yourself from the sun. Wear sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a long- sleeved shirt, even on overcast days. Some areas of the park are quite exposed;
• Wear insect repellent, clothing and shoes to protect yourself from stings, scratches and bites - Bring insect repellent;
• Do not interfere with native animals and plants. Be prepared to encounter wildlife such as scrub mites, stinging trees, and red-bellied black snakes and know how to respond.
• Everything in the parks, living or dead, is protected. Please leave everything as you found it and do not disturb native plants or animals;
• Littering the national park is prohibited, as litter is unsightly and harmful to wildlife. Please take your rubbish with you. Remember that cigarette butts are rubbish too and can contaminate streams;
• Do not rely on mobile phones. There is occasional mobile phone coverage from the ridgelines only;
• Never swim alone. Beware lifesavers do not patrol Coral Beach or Swamp Bay;
• Do not swim from October to May as dangerous marine stingers are present here during these months. Or wear a stinger suit when swimming; and
• Do not jump or dive in the creeks.
